The Cyclist / His Fifth Woman

These two plays by the legendary Vijay Tendulkar are a critique of Indian society and the reality surrounding the playwright. Once intended to be his last play, The Cyclist is a skilfully crafted, uninterrupted, single piece about the adventure of life told through a cyclist’s journey. Apart from being a journey in geographical terms, it is a psychological exploration of the protagonist’s mind. His Fifth Woman, a prequel to Tendulkar’s Sakharam Binder (1972), brings to play the injustices and inequalities suffered by women in the man–woman relationship. The exploration of death and the afterlife is replete with humour and insight. These two plays are a welcome addition to the theatre lover’s collection, and, as highly theatrical pieces, will be of interest to theatre actors, directors, and students.